Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-18
EARLY ELECTIONS.
Ancient Personal Quarrels
of Adams and Hamilton.
A POLITICAL SQUIB'S EFFECTS.
How 1t Divided the Federalists
and Led to the Founding OF the
New York "Evening POST"

There are but few episodes In MS
sorry more interesting than the guar.
rels between the leaders who are
themselves dramatis persun@ in that
great serial play called politics. We
all zee what is set before us on the
stage, but few are fortunate or unfor-
tunate enough to get behind the scenes
till the play has been redrafted and
comes forth as history" Occasion
ally, however, the play is interrupted
in the middle, the scenery is over
turned, and We see all the little tricks
aud devices by which we are
made to believe that what we
see is real. The players have dis
agreed, and each is so angry that he
forIets himself and is determined to
show the punlic his "confrere ell dis
habille," The minor characters are
aghast-the rival company is delight
ed, and the general public angered or
amused.
Of all these internal dissensions,
that between Hamilton aud Adams,
in 1900, was probably tue most savage
and outspoken, for both the Federal
President aud the Federal leader were
30 angered that they rushed into
print; not, a. was then tile habit,
with u pen-name, which, if it de-
ceived no one, at least kept up an ap-
pea ance Of decency, but under their
own names, tul the world what each
thought Of the other.
TIE quarrel had snouldered long
before it broke out AMI became pub.
lie and had begun even before 1895,
when it first sumed serious propor-
lions. Washington hat declined an
Other reelection, and 80 it became
necessary in that year 70 choose some
one to succeed him. Adams was the
undou pted c,,oice of the rank and file
OF the Federal party, and 30 recsived
their nomina ion, while Thomas
Pinckney Was selected as their noini-
nee for Vice. President, but the law ut
that time left it in the hands Of the
electors which SHOULD be President,
and by this loose method the man re-
ceiving the most votes became Presi-
dent. whether he had been nominated
for tn It office or not. In this law
Hamilton and other prominent Fe leral-
lists. not darins to oppose Adams
publicly, saw t,,eir chance. Pinckna.
should receive equal support with
Adams. and, owing to his greater
popularity at the South, wouli OBJ ain
8 greater vote than the latter, and the
nominations should so be reversed in
the election. Like many other plots
and battles, ''they would have W II ii
it hadn't been for the other dog" and
this plan WIS neutralized by certain
friends OF Adams, who v,hed for him
and threw away their second vote,
thus otfsett ny Pinckney's Southern
vote, but by 40 doing defeated him
for the Vice Presidency ~ we'll, JEFF
fer.on taking his pl ICE. The wedge
In the Federalist party had been in-
serted.
In this way the bad feeling be-
tween Hamilton and Adams began.
Hamilton Was convinced that Adams
was not Federaiist enough to guide
the party, and Adams had too many
friends who we're also Hamilton's not
to know If the attempt to pass him
over il favor Of Pinckney. The fire,
once st rte /, did not lack fuel. Dur.
lug Washington's administration
Hamilton Ina been the I'm .Or of
the palaces" and he en,leavored to re-
tain his oth e under AL ms. who was
much loo stubborn TO suffer guidance
from any man. even had his own
idea, chime with his. RebuHei in
front, Hlmilt,n IN lde a fl INK attack.
Pickering Wulcott and McHenry
(Ad,ms' secretaries) were his de-
yote,l Political friends and ready to
all him in any way, and so Ha'nll-
TOMS ideas and schemes were intro
duced to the Cabinet through them.
This soon became apparent to
A lams AMI an sered him still more, so
that b.. ceased to consult his Cabinet,
aud nothing but the fear of u chism in
the Federal ranks and his own conse-
oient defeat prevented him from
driving them from office at once. As
II was. Adams saw or suspec ell
Hamilton in every suggestion or
proposition OF his secretaries, and not
only took his own cou, 50, but began a
eeries of indirect attacks OH the latter.
H .,nilton, in turn, was planning and
hoping to plss Adams over in the
election Of 1900 in favor Of Charles
Cptesworth Pinckney, rs he had
planned in favor Of the latter's brother
In 1895.
Such was the condition of affairs
when the spring election OF 1900 took
place in New York, aud the Federal
ists found themselves. much TO their
surprise, defeated. Both sides al
once knew that New York would
probably vote for jefferson. and this
knowledge hal great effect on both
parties, but especially on the Federal
The Hamiltonians believed it to be
through the mistakes and baC
policy of Adams, and the
latter took it as sign o.
weakness in his opponents. Hamilton
was defeated OH his own bat le-ground
ergo, Hamilton was not backed by tht
New York Fede alists. Adams hat
retaine Pickering and McHenry
in his Cabin t, fearing to anger the
H milton Federalists. but nov, be
lieving that Hamilton had lost h pc
itical influence. he turned them on
AMI began u general attack on tina
section Of the party, taking advantage
OF the bitter Anglpmania then existing
to rai-e the cry OF British influence,
and calling them the "Britlsh fac
ton"
1t was serious attack, and one tina
had t, be met, for his own sake, b,
Hamilton, For me time no ha'
had in view circular letter to sh'
chief OF the Federal party setting fortl
the weakness and mistakes OF tn
Pre- -ident. and the advisability o
eIecting Pinckney in his stead. Hi
friends in the Cabinet, takin
advantage Of that position. ha'
supplied him with the : sec
rets OF the administration, which
owing to Adams' Quarrels with hi
secretaries, his stubbornness and ba'
te,unar. WAS poculiarlv Omen to crit